James steele



(No Model.) 1

J. STEELE.

FENDER r03 STREET CARS.

Patented Aug. 10, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES STEELE, OF GUELPH, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE SLEEMAN, OF

SAME PLACE.

FENDER FOR STREET-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,880, dated August 10, 1897.

Application filed April 13, 1897.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES STEELE, wireworker, residing at the city of Guelph, in the county of \Vellington and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a certain new and Improved Fender for Street-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to devise asimple and efficient fender for street-cars which, though normally raised to clear obstructions, may be dropped at any time to an operative position either by the motorman or by contact with an obstacle upon the track; and it consists, essentially, of a fender with an upward extension pivoted at the front of the car, links pivotally connecting the fender with bent levers, so constructed and pivoted below the end of the car that the pivot-point of each link upon the lever is normally below a line joining the pi vot-point of the lever and the pivot-point of the link to the fender, and the latter thus held raised. To trip the device, a trigger-frame is slidingly supported upon the fender, so as to normally project in front of the same. The rear ends of the trigger-frame are pivoted to the bent levers, so that a blow upon the front end of the trigger-frame will rock the levers and draw back the links, so as to permit the fender to drop to the rail-level, the whole being constructed in detail substantially as hereinafter more specifically described, and then definitely claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showingthe, end of a car provided with my improved fender dropped into operative position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing the fender in its normal position. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of one of the lower bearings of the device.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate oorrespondin g parts in the different figures.

A is the fender, preferably formed of a suitable frame 13, covered with netting or canvas. The rear end of the frame Bis turned upwardly and is held within the jaws 0, connected to the front of the car. These jaws are provided with suitable pins (0, adapted to retain the frame in position.

D is a cross-bar connecting the opposite Serial No. 631,995. (No model.)

at any time, I slot each bracket G immediately in front of the bearing b for the bar and close the slot by, means of a sliding stop H, which may be lifted out-at any time t0 release the cross-bar F. (See Fig. 3.)

I are links, each pivotally connected at c to one of the bent levers E and at d to the horizontal bar D. e is a pin located upon each of the bent levers E and adapted to come in contact with one of the links I, so as to limit the downward motion of thebent lever to which it is attached. This pin might also be connected to the bracket G below the link I. This position is shown in Fig. 2, where, the pivot a being below a line joining the pivot-point of the bent lever E and the pivot cl, the weight of the fender tends to swing the bent lever still farther downward. Asthe pin a prevents this, the parts retain the position shown. If, however, the bent levers be thrown backward, the fender'will be permitted to drop into the position shownin Fig. 1 and will retain that position till the fender is again swung forward and upward to draw the pivot-points into the position shown in Fig. 2. To aid the weight of the fender in causing the parts to assume the position in Fig. 1, I connect the horizontal bar D with the cross-bar F by one or more coil-springs J, which are normally in a state of tension.

In order to trip the fender automatically when an obstacle is struck, I connect thereto the trigger-frame K, the front of which normally projects beyond the front end of the fender. (See Fig. 2.) The rear ends of the side bars of this trigger-frame K are pivotally connected to the ends of the bent levers E, and near their forward ends are adapted to slide in any suitable guides, such as L. As soon as an obstacle is struck the triggerframe is pushed backward and rocks the bent levers E till each pivot-point c is above a line joiningthe pivot-point of its bent leverand the corresponding pivotpoint 0. After that point I its bearings.

has been reached the tension of the springs and the weight of the fender insures the latter assuming the position shown in Fig. 1. The springs J also serve to retain the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2 by preventing shakingand swaying. As it is desirable sometimes to trip the fender by hand, I connect the cord M-by means of a clamp to the trigger-frame K and lead it through suitable guides to a position within reach of the motorman. By pulling upon the cord when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 the device may be tripped, and by pulling upon the cord when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 the fender may be drawn back to its raised position.

In order to protect from injury by the front j of the car any person caught by the fender, I run a rubber-covered guard Nfrom side to 5 side of the fender near its upper end. This may be of any desired construction to effect a i so connected as to engage with the link when the purpose.

If it be-desired to shift the fender from one I end of the car to the other, it is merely necessaryto remove the sliding blocks H and the pins a, when the fender may be lifted from The cord M must also be dis-j connected. As each end of the car will be provided with similar bearings, the fender may then .be rapidly placed inposition at the other end of the car.

From the above description it will be seen that I have devised a simple and efficient fender for street-cars which, though norma ly- 5 raised to clear obstructions, may be dropped at anytime to an operative position either by the .motorman or by contact with an obstacle on the track.

.It will also be seen that .I have constructed an automatic fender which may be quickly i lifted from one end of the car to the other, 5

which is a feature of value on many small What I claim as my invention is 1. In a deviceof the class d.escribed,a fender having one of its ends ,pivotally connected with the front of a car, in combinationwi-th a toggle-joint connection arranged to occupy two positions and-having one end connected with the car and its other end to the fender, the three pivots of the said toggle-joint being arranged substantially in line when in one of said positions to support the fender raised,

and means operated by an obstacle for throwing the toggle to its other position, thus allowingthe fender to fall, substantially .asdescribed.

with the front of a car, in combination with a toggleoint connection arrangedto occupy two positions, ast-op coacting with said toggle-joint connection when in one position to V s-upportthe fender raised, and means adapted to be operated by contact with an obstacle and arranged when operated to-move said toggle-joint connection to its other position, thus allowing said fender to drop until it strikes the ground or rails, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, afender having a pivotal connection with a car, a tog-- gle-j oint connection arranged when in one position to support said fender with its front end raised and when in another position to the pivot-point of the latter-on the said lever is below the line'joining its pivot-pointon the fender with the pivot-point of the lever, and thus retain the fender in its normal raised position, substantially as and for the purpose 5. In adevice of the class descri bed,.a fender pivoted at its rear end .to the front of ,a car, in combination with a lever pivoted below the end of the car; a link pivoted at one end to the said lever and at the other to the fender below its pivot-point upon the car; a stopso connected as to engage with the link when the pivot-point of the latter on thesaidlever is below the line joining its pivot poin-t on the fender with the pivot-point of the lever and thus retain the fender in its normal raisedposition, and a trigger-frame slidinglysupported by the fender with its front end projecting beyond the front of the same, and its near end pivoted to the said lever above the pivotpoint of the link, substantially-as and forathe 6. In a device of the class'desc-ribed, aifender pivoted at its rear end to the front of a. car, 7

in combination with a'lever pivotedibelowthe end of the car; a link pivoted :at one end to the said lever and at the other to the fender below its pivot-point upon the car; .a stqpso connected .as to enga e with the link whenthe pivot-point of the laIter on thesaid lever is .below the line joining its pivot-pointon fender with the pivot-pointof the lever thus retain the fender in its normal'misedgposition, a trigger-frame slidingly-suppontedby the fender with its front end projecting :be- 2. In a deviceof the class described, afende-r havingone of its ends pivotally connected yond the front of the same, and. its rear .end

pivoted to the said lever above the pivot- 7 In a device of-the class describede'fender pivoted at its rear end to the front of *a-car, in combination with a lever pivoted below the end of the car; a link pivoted at one end of the said lever and at the other to the fender below its pivot-point upon the car; a stop so connected as to engage with the link when the pivot-point of the latter on the said lever is below the line joining its pivot-point on the fender with the pivot-point of the lever and thus retain the fender in its normal position, and a spring connected directly or indirectly with the car and to the fender, so as to tend to draw the latter down to its operative position, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified. 8. In a device of the class described, the fender A, having its rear end turned upwardly and pivotally connected to the front end of a car, in combination with the bent levers E, connected by the bar F, journaled in the brackets G; the links I, pivoted at d, to the fender A, and at c, to the bent levers E; the pin or stop 8, and the trigger-frame K, slidingly supported on the fender and pivoted at its rear end to the bent levers E, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. In a device of the class described, the fender A, having its rear end turned upwardly and pivotally connected to the front end of a car, in combination with the bent levers E, connected by the bar F, journaled in the bracket G; the links I, pivoted at cl, to the fender A, and at c, to the bent levers E; the pin or stop 6; the trigger-frame K, slidingly supported on the fender and pivoted at its rear end to the bent levers E; and the cord M, connected to the trigger-frame K, at such a point as to serve both to trip and set the fender, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

10. In a device of the class described, the fenderA, having its rear end turned upwardly and pivot-ally and removably connected to the front end of a car, in combination with the the trigger-frame K, slidinglysupported on.

the fender and pivoted at its rear end to the bentlevers E, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

11. In a device of the class described, the fenderA, having its rear end turned upwardly and pivotally and removably connected to the front englof a--ca1', the combination with the bent levers E, connected by the bar F, removably journaled in the brackets G 5 the links I, pivoted at cl, to the fender A, and at c, to the bent levers E; the pin or stop e; the trigger-frame K, slidingly supported on the fender and pivoted at its rear end to the bent levers E, and a rubber-covered guard extending from side to side of the fender in front of the car end, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

12. In a device of the class described, the fender A, having its rear end turned upwardly and pivotally connected to the front end of a car, in combination with the bent levers E, connected by the bar F, journaled in the brackets G; the links I, pivoted at d, to the fender A, and at c, to the bent levers E; the pin or stop 8, the trigger-frame K slidingly supported on the fender and pivoted at its rear end to the bent levers E; and a tension spring or springs connecting the bar F, with the fender, substantially as and for the purpose specified.v

Guelph, April 8, 1897.

JAMES STEELE. 

